Movicol Advice

[Catinabox21]

My 16 month old has been prescribed Movicol. I understand that it is supposed to be mixed with a certain amount of water before you take it. My question is: does it HAVE to first be mixed with water before you can add it to other things?

So far, the only way I can get DC to take it is in strawberry yoghurt. However, if mixed with water first, you’re basically ending up with a milkshake, and it’s quite a lot to get down the hatch.

Is water essential, or can you mix the powder straight into something like a Petit Filous?

And if anyone has any other advice for managing stool withholding, please do share.

Thanks!

Hi there, the powder does indeed have to be mixed with water first otherwise it doesn't work its magic retaining water in the bowel - I don't understand the mechanics fully but my son's paediatric consultant has always been strict about it! It's not an easy thing to get down DC. Might they have it in an actual milkshake or smoothie if they enjoy the yogurt taste?

@ThaliaFailurethanks - that’s what I reckoned/feared! Yes it might be time to explore other options. I basically want to find something that effectively disguises the taste of the medicine without significantly increasing the volume of liquid to drink!

We had this same challenge with my DS when he was 3. It was so difficult to disguise the taste as he won’t drink anything other than water. Other than force feed him it which was just unbearable, we found mixing with melted chocolate and letting it set one of the only ways. Far from ideal I know! Jelly was another one, and gravy.

If you haven’t already been signposted - ERIC is a great charity who were really supportive to us and my DS withholding. Would recommend giving them a call

And sorry I should have said, this was added to food once mixed with the recommended amount of water

Putting it into low fat chocolate milkshakes worked for us. My nine year old twins still poo their pants, but believe me, it's an awful lot better than dealing with constipation, belly pain, weight loss, general sadness, trips to the hospital etc. The most important step for us was realising that keeping the poo coming out regardless of whether it was in the toilet or the pants was very very important. Both get rewarded now and we're all happier and saner. In our household any poo is a good poo, regardless of whether it's in the toilet or the pants.

Yes it does I’m afraid as that’s how it works! I’ve always been told this (my DS has taken it for a long time). I mix it up and then add squash to it.

I recommend the flavoured movicol and once you have mixed it with water, put squash in it. The unflavoured one has a really strong salty taste and isn’t disguised very well by other things!!

I wrote my own post months ago because my 5 year old withholds and I was at my wits end. The best piece of advice I can give you is to stop making going for a poo an event and constantly telling your child to go. If they look like they need to, try some gentle encouragement but don’t keep nagging or they just won’t go.

It needs to be in a liquid, but there’s a little wriggle room. I’ve had patients with it in squash, milk, milkshake, hot chocolate, gravy, jelly…doesn’t work as well as in pure water, but works better than not taking it at all.

The best thing we ever did, was get ds onto pico sulphate, laxido/movicol doesnt solve the issue at all.